Golden Finger Acquired

Camilla Ramirez was scrolling absently-mindedly through Twitter reading through the post about Love in Bloom: A Floral Affair, the most recent show that she had filmed. Her role was a secondary villainess who was the lackey of the main villainess. For the most part, people were either commenting about the two main leads or the main villainess, there were very few posts about her character. She had to scroll very far before she finally managed to find a small discussion thread. 

(A/N: Fuck you I'm still calling it Twitter! X is stupid!)

[Roseate Whispers]: Does anyone else feel uncomfortable when Adriana Middleton appears on screen? It's like going from a professional orchestra to a middle school performance. It hurts to watch. 

[Moonlight Sarcasm]: I agree. No hate to Camilla Ramirez but she gets so outshined by the other actors I think it would've been better to cast someone else. 

[Shera's Favorite Baby]: I honestly forget about that character as soon as she leaves the screen. Did they need her? 

Camilla felt her breathing temporarily stop and her heart beat faster as she read. She had been a Z-list actor for 12 years and no matter how much she tried or how many roles she auditioned for, she was relegated to background characters with small amounts of lines and scenes. She had tried her best for so long but nothing she did improved her skill or gave her better opportunities. It was exhausting and devastating, there were many times she wanted to quit but she always held on hoping for her big shot. 

Look like this role was a flop as well. 

Camilla clicked out of Twitter as reading the comments wasn't improving her mood. Camilla needed good news or else she wouldn't be able to hold back her sadness and she would end up crying on this plane. Silently as her hands shook slightly she opened up her emails and opened the most recent one from her manager. 

The email was mostly passive-aggressive and dismissive of her and her most recent role which didn't help her mood. Despite this Camilla read through the email she stopped at the very last paragraph rereading it over and over not believing what she had read. 

"I wanted to bring to your attention the gravity of the upcoming leading acting role in our production. This role is not just another opportunity; it's your last shot to prove your worth to the company. If this performance doesn't meet our standards, and expectations and doesn't manage to resonate with the audience, we will have no choice but to reconsider our contract with you. This is your last chance so you better be grateful. 

Best regards, 

Jared Kirchen"

While it was Camilla's last chance with Brodwin Talent Agency this was also Camilla's first lead acting role. She was filled with anticipation and excitement, just when she felt like quitting God gave her a sign to keep forging ahead, and she for one did not intend to waste it. 

Her excited thoughts were interrupted by the cabin crew shuffling through the plane as they started their safety demonstration. Camilla like many others on the plane wasn't paying much attention to the demonstration but after it had concluded she put her phone on airplane mode and shut it off. Camilla closed her eyes as she felt the plane lift into the air. She struggled to fall asleep as her body slumped down into the chair, her mind racing with excitement so much so that it made it difficult to sleep. But eventually, she began to slumber, her dreams reflecting her excited state. 

Camilla was abruptly woken up by a large explosion, screams, and harsh jerky movement of the plane. She quickly woke up out of her drowsy state when she looked around at the destruction around her. She discovered that a large chunk of the right side of the plane closest to the wing was gone and that all that remained was a large gaping hole. 

Camilla's face grew pale, her heart racing a mile a minute. Dread deeper than the ocean filled her body as the plane continued to lose altitude quicker and quicker. All around her people were screaming, crying, pleading, and praying. Once the shock wore off and Camilla realized the severity of her situation she too began to pray. 

Please God grant me your mercy and allow me a chance to survive. Please God I beg of you. I don't want to die please God. Camilla silently prayed with tears streaming down her face. 

Unfortunately, her prayers went unanswered as the plane crashed into the ground, tearing the fuselage apart as people, debris, and parts of the plane were violently thrown in all directions.

The moments after destruction were quiet except for the flicker of flames around her. Camilla felt her body getting colder and colder by the minute. A large part of the plane debris was impaled in her stomach and Camilla felt pain as she strained against it. She knew without a doubt that she was dying and that she wouldn't survive. Tears streamed down her face at the realization, of the unfairness that had just occurred. Just when her hopes had been lifted reality had demonstrated its cruelty by destroying her and that hope. 

Hopes, regrets, people, and memories assaulted her mind as Camilla's eyes drooped down. There was so much she wanted to say, to do, and to try but there was no more time left. She wanted to keep living, she wanted it all to be just one bad dream. She wanted the pain to stop.

[Does the user wish to continue to live?]

Yes.

[Is the user willing to be bonded with the Stardom System and continue to...]. Camilla couldn't hear the rest of what the mechanical voice said as her consciousness slipped away. 

I want to live. I'll do anything. Please let me live.

And after using that last bit of strength in her body Camilla's eyes closed permanently. 

....

A loud alarm woke Camilla out of her stupor. She whipped her head around in confusion as she blearily checked her body not feeling the debris that impaled her. 

I'm alive. I'm alive!! Thank the lord I'm alive!

Camilla looked around at the room she was in with confusion. It didn't look like a hospital so she assumed that the plane crash had been one crazy nightmare but at the same time, it didn't look like her rented apartment. 

It kind of looked like her old childhood room. A room that she hadn't been in for several years. Camilla quickly rose out of bed and rushed towards the restroom and what she saw shook her to her very core. 

The face reflected in the mirror was her face but it was different from what she remembered. Her long chestnut hair cascaded down her shoulder in soft waves. Her warm, almond eyes reflected her state of confusion and panic. Her olive-toned skin glowed with a healthy radiance, complementing her features with subtle luminosity. Her slender and curvaceous yet athletic build leaned over the sink as she slowly sunk to the floor. 

What she saw was her appearance when she was she was 23 years old. Somehow she had returned to 12 years ago. But how? 

"Mijita come down for breakfast. You have a long day ahead of you!" The sound of her mother resonated from down the stairs. 

Hearing that voice brought tears to Camilla's eyes. Camilla hadn't spoken to her mother in seven years after they had a falling out about her career choice. She regretted that decision now since her struggle to succeed proved her mother's point, it might have been better for her to be realistic and get a more stable job. 

Realizing that she had another chance in life Camilla felt incredibly conflicted. She still wanted to live out her dreams and continue to act but that path was incredibly painful and had no results. But after dying she became more of a realist and understood that she had no skills and as such wasn't suited to be an actor. Camilla was about to make her choice about her future when a mechanical voice rang in her head. 

[Stardom System activating. Unit# 42B responding to the wishes of user Camilla Ramirez.] 

Before her very eyes, a small marshmallow-like object floated in front of her. The marshmallow-like object's electric blue eyes scanned Camilla before speaking once more. 

[Contract has been signed. Congratulations user Camilla Ramirez for our partnership. Wishing for the user's success in the entertainment industry.]

"Contract? What contract? When did I sign a contract?! Also, what do you mean by congratulation on our partnership? What the hell are you?!" Camilla spouted as she pointed at the figure in confusion. 

[I am the Stardom System. I assist humans by granting them the ability to purchase skills needed for the entertainment industry. We signed a contract moments before your death. The system turned back time as part of the contract stipulations.

The system is lucky to have made a contract with you. The system has never seen a human with such a high potential before!]

Camilla snorted at the system's answer. Her, having high potential, how laughable. For 12 years she was derided as an actress worse than a vase. 

"That's ridiculous I don't have high potential. I think you confused me for someone else. Now go along then, I'm not going back into the entertainment industry anyways." Camilla dismissively responded as she turned away from the marshmallow-like system. 

[With the system you can remain in the entertainment industry. Please don't leave. Just look at the store before you decide.]

A transparent white screen appeared before Camilla's eyes and she saw what looked like an online storefront. But instead of finding normal items, she saw things like Emotive Eyedroppers, Mask of Murderous Aura, Ring of Royal Regality, etc. 

Camilla scoffed at this, she loved acting, and being shown these items that allowed one to cheat acting skills was disgusting. She would never use items that made a mockery of acting, the thing she loved with all her heart. 

"I refuse. These items make a mockery of acting and I would rather die again than use them." Camilla angrily retorted. 

There was a long pause of silence. Camilla had expected the system to try and persuade her and convince her to reconsider but it remained silent. 

[Ding! +5 Fame Points acquired from making a new fan.]

Camilla looked at the message in confusion. She looked back up at the marshmallow-like system hoping for some answers but found that it was staring back at her with great admiration. 

[You are truly the most unique human that the system has ever made a contract with. Most other humans don't care and only rely on these items. I wasn't even going to show you the rest of the store but now I must.]

The transparent storefront flipped through pages quickly until it stopped on a page filled with books. The titles of the books were all about the necessary skills an actor needed to act properly. Camilla's eyebrow raised in amusement and curiosity. 

"This isn't like those earlier items right? It won't just like download those skills into my head because if so I still refuse." Camilla responded as she scrolled through reading the titles. 

[No these books only provide a space and teacher for you to learn these skills. It takes actual time and effort to master them. That is why they are so unpopular, many humans didn't want to put the effort in when they could just items.

Each lesson was made and taught by the vestiges of the world's greatest actors and entertainers. They will serve as your guide.]

Camilla felt her heart race. With these books, she could fulfill her dreams and become a great and renowned actor. She simply couldn't say no to this. 

"Well, then it's nice to meet you, partner. Happy collaboration." Camilla smiled looking back at the marshmallow-like system. 

[Happy collaboration user Camilla Ramirez.]